Beaverton, Ore.-based Nike was fined today for blocking cross-border sales of its soccer merchandise of well-known European clubs.
According to the European Commission, Nike did so between 2004 and 2017 with licensed merchandise from Manchester United, FC Barcelona, Juventus, Inter Milan, AS Roma and French Football Federation, reports CNBC. The fines follow two years of investigation by the European Union, which was triggered by a sector inquiry into EU e-commerce.
The European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in a statement, “Nike prevented many of its licensees from selling these branded products in a different country leading to less choice and higher prices for consumers.”
Nike’s fine was reduced by 40 percent after it cooperated with the EU.